Two new butchers’ shop businesses have been awarded membership of the Q Guild.

Joseph Morris Butchers in Rugby and Archer’s Butchers from Norwich are the latest members of the butchers’ organisation.

Joseph Morris Butchers was established in 1930 and its three shops are now run by the fourth generation of the family. The shop was winner of the Which? award for ‘Local Business of the Year’ in 2009, and has scooped numerous awards for its homemade pork pies.

“Local produce is very important to us in terms of quality for customers and welfare for the animals,” said shop manager Roger Scott.

All the meat is sourced from the family-run farm in nearby Swinford and from other neighbouring local farms. Butcher and livestock manager Matthew Morris also rears his own Limousin cattle and Texel sheep, which are popular with both the shop’s retail customers and wholesale clients.

“As we have our own fully licensed, EC-approved abattoir, we can also control all the products from farm to fork. We’re delighted to become members of the Q Guild – we hope this will help take our shops from strength to strength,” Scott added.

Archer’s Butchers gained membership in time to enter this year’s annual Q Guild barbecue competition and made an immediate impact in the national final, finishing as runners-up in the speciality sausage category with its caramelised red onion sausage.

Jamie Archer, who runs the shop, which was founded by his grandfather, said: “As a new Q Guild member, I’ve already found it to be really useful and informative; it has helped me develop my products, which has helped us to have success in the competition.”

Gordon Newlands, general manager of the Q Guild, said: “We’re delighted to welcome these two new members to the Q Guild. We know that their quality and innovation will sit very nicely with the values of the Guild.”